South Kesteven's 7-day infection rate has risen again but remains less than a quarter a fifth of the England average.

The district recorded nine Covid-19 cases today, compared with 2 last Thursday and one the previous Thursday. Six cases were also recorded yesterday and five on Tuesday.

The latest numbers mean the 7-day rate has increased by almost half in the past two but remains lower than last Thursday.

The district's record is now reflecting the national situation which is reporting growing case numbers, albeit at relatively low levels.

South Kesteven now has a 7-day case rate of 11.9 cases per 100,000 (up from 10.5 yesterday and 8.4 on Tuesday), based on a recorded 17 cases, which compares with the England average of 50.3 cases per 100,000, which is rising slowly.

Whilst the district figures fluctuate, the latest figures are among the lowest since last year and less than a fortieth of figures earlier in the year when the weekly rate exceeded 400 cases per 100,000.

The grand total of 7685 cases in South Kesteven since the start of the pandemic is equivalent to just over one case per 20 residents. The national average is about one-in-15.

There were no deaths recorded in the district but the first fatality in nearly 6 weeks more than two weeks ago puts the district's death tally on 267. This is equivalent to about one-in-600 residents, which is better than the England average of one-in-500 residents.

Overall, there have been 62 new coronavirus cases and no COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday – 26 more than the 36 cases last Thursday, and 14 more than yesterday.

The government's COVID-19 dashboard recorded 33 new cases in Lincolnshire, 24 in North East Lincolnshire and five in North Lincolnshire.

No further coronavirus deaths were registered on Thursday. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.

NHS England has also reported no new local deaths across Greater Lincolnshire's hospitals.

On Thursday, national cases increased by 7,393 to 4,542,986, while deaths rose by seven to 127,867.

North East Lincolnshire's infection rate has tripled over the last week – a rise which has been put down to a number of cases being the COVID-19 Delta variant, previously known as the Indian mutation.

Lincolnshire's vaccination centres are close to giving out 500,000 first doses of coronavirus vaccine – and may have surpassed it already.

Data released on Thursday shows altogether 861,263 jabs have been administered in the county between December 8 and June 6 — a further 42,980 in the last week, and 15% down on the 50,695 jabs given the week before.

Health secretary Matt Hancock has been questioned by MPs on Thursday on his response to the pandemic.

During a four hour evidence session, he said the Delta variant now comprised 91% of new coronavirus cases seen in the UK.

He denied that he had lied to the Prime Minister, a suggestion made during a previous hearing with former advisor Dominic Cummings, or that there was a national shortage of PPE early in the pandemic.

He told MPs he followed clinical advice over patients being released from hospitals to care homes and had been told they would be tested.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Thursday, June 10

61,019 cases (up 62)

42,319 in Lincolnshire (up 33)

9,814 in North Lincolnshire (up five)

8,886 in North East Lincolnshire (up 24)

2,196 deaths (no change)

1,621 from Lincolnshire (no change)

307 from North Lincolnshire (no change)

268 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,311 hospital deaths (no change)

816 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)

41 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)

1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)

453 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change) 4,542,986 UK cases, 127,867 deaths